Our Greener Life

Can you count how many times you’ve been asked this question at the grocery store? No doubt, more times than you can remember. What was your answer, and why did you make that particular choice?

In the past, I typically would choose the plastic bags. What was my rationale for that choice? Well, less chance the bag would rip and send our groceries rolling around on the pavement, and plastic tends to be easier to carry. There was no ecological rational for my decision.

Paper bags are typically thought of as the environmentally friendly choice, but actually consume 40% more energy in the production process than plastic bags. They also generate 80% more solid waste than plastic bags. However, plastic bags take at least 1,000 years to decompose (whereas paper may take as little as a month) and are made from polyethylene, which is created from crude oil and natural gas – both nonrenewable resources. Both require a considerable amount of energy and resources to be produced.

There are better choices today which can let you answer the “paper or plastic” question with an easy answer – “neither, please”. Why not pick up a few reusable bags, which can be used for groceries and other things?

It does take some time to get in the habit of bringing your bags with you into the store. We keep a few in the car, and a few by the back door (for shopping trips when not using our car). But, it can be easy to forget until you’re already in line. The great thing is that some stores, such as Whole Foods, will give you a 5-cent refund for using your own bags.

Aside from traditional shopping bags, there are also ways to reduce your use of other bags. Rather than using sandwich bags for lunch, you could bring your sandwich wrapped in a Wrap-N-Mat. It’s a reusable wrap which doubles as a placemat. I think that’s a very cool idea. See what other products you can use to green your sack lunch.

The thinking – reduce, reuse, recycle is a great way to live a greener life. We’ve become more aware of what we send to the landfill and what we reuse. Shopping bags are a great place to start.

It has been about a year since I first began thinking about my impact on the environment. In all honesty, I had spent the first 25 years of my life wearing blinders. For example, I never took recycling seriously – usually never thought twice about tossing an empty soda can in the trash. Basically, I just took the wonderful world we live in for granted.

My life took new direction a couple of years ago, when I began studying landscape architecture. I had been working in software development with a degree in business, but felt my life was missing something. I had always had an interest in architecture and gardening, so when I learned about the field of landscape architecture – I knew it was the right track for me.

Last summer I took a course dealing with sustainability. It was a foreign concept at the time, but I was soon hooked and learning all I could. If you are unfamiliar with the notion of sustainability, here is a definition taken from the EPA:

“Sustainability is the ability to achieve continuing economic prosperity while protecting the natural systems of the planet and providing a high quality of life for its people. Achieving sustainable solutions calls for stewardship, with everyone taking responsibility for solving the problems of today and tomorrow-individuals, communities, businesses and governments are all stewards of the environment.”

In practice, this means day-to-day recognition that economy, society, and environment are interconnected and we should make wise and innovative choices to ensure are communities are sustainable for present and future generations.

So, if you haven’t thought much about your impact on the planet, where is a good place to start? I would say the first step is to just be more aware of the world around you. For instance, start thinking about where you get your food and what kind of food you eat. Think about your transportation options – would it be possible to walk or bike more? You will begin to notice all sorts of things which you may have never thought of.

The goal of Our Greener Life is to chronicle our journey towards a greener life and share our experience with others. We’ll be covering a wide variety of topics, so please stay tuned!